Legal News 11/2018

NEW YORK (AP) — Harvey Weinstein was accused in a civil court filing Wednesday of forcing a 16-year-old Polish model to touch his penis, subjecting her to years of harassment and emotional abuse and blocking her from a successful acting career as ...(Nov 1, 2018, USA TODAY)

Mi hermano, El Chapo: How a lawyer from Baltimore came to defend the world's most notorious drug lord

On Monday, the world will be watching as the lawyer from Baltimore stands up in a federal courtroom in Brooklyn to represent Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, an infamous Mexican more commonly known as “El Chapo.” It simply means “shorty.” He's 5 feet ...(Nov 1, 2018, Baltimore Sun)

DOJ charges Malaysian financier tied to Christie, Trump lawyer

The Department of Justice announced charges on Thursday against a Malaysian financier accused of using money from a state-owned fund to bribe Malaysian and Abu Dhabi officials and to pay for luxury goods in the U.S.. The department charged Low Taek ...(Nov 1, 2018, The Hill (blog))

Panel issues findings in favor of former Penn State lawyer

(Harrisburg) -- A panel that considers allegations of misconduct against Pennsylvania lawyers found that Penn State's former general counsel did nothing wrong in her representation of university officials during the child sexual abuse investigation of ...(Nov 1, 2018, witf.org)

Michael Trister, civil rights lawyer, dies at 77

Michael Trister, a civil rights lawyer forced from a teaching post at the University of Mississippi in one of the last spasms of segregationist control at that Southern university in the 1960s, died Oct. 20 at his home in Washington. He was 77. The ...(Nov 1, 2018, Washington Post)

Chicago cop's checkered career should have been red flag for city, lawyer for beating victim says

A Chicago police sergeant emboldened by a long history of escaping discipline from the Police Department “acted with impunity” the night he attacked and severely beat two men outside an Andersonville neighborhood nightclub, a lawyer for the victims ...(Nov 1, 2018, Chicago Tribune)

Montana Supreme Court suspends Billings-based lawyer

The Montana Supreme Court has suspended for at least seven months a Billings-based attorney who failed to file an appeal for a client in a civil rights case. David S. Freedman, whose Freedman and Assoc. Law Group is located in Billings, will also have ...(Nov 2, 2018, Billings Gazette)

Lawyer in 'jeweler to the stars case': My client tried to cut up, hide body — but he's no killer

Yes, James Rackover tried to saw off Joseph Comunale's arm with a bread knife. And yes, he cleaned up the crime scene, then scarfed down a burger and fries while the body lay in his bathtub. And, fine, he dumped the body in a shallow grave, doused it ...(Nov 2, 2018, New York Post)

Today is Love Your Lawyer Day. Here's how to celebrate

In 2015, it became a national official day when the American Bar Association designated the first Friday of each November as Love Your Lawyer Day. Anise said he's surprised how the day has gone viral. “I must admit that even I never imagined how big ...(Nov 2, 2018, Sun Sentinel)

For Young Lawyers, the Changing Legal Landscape Means Opportunity

The U.S. legal market is estimated to be greater than $400 billion annually, of which law firms and in-house legal departments currently account for more than 99 percent. But alternative legal service providers and legal technology companies have been ...(Nov 2, 2018, Law.com)

For many Americans, "impeachment" could become the term du jour if Democrats take control of the House in next week's midterm election. But party leaders say they want to focus on a different I-word: investigations. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and her ...(Nov 2, 2018, NPR)

Correction: Obit-Civil Rights Lawyer story

Trister did not start work at the university until the fall of 1966. A corrected version of the story is below: Lawyer in civil rights struggle, Michael Trister, dies at 77. Michael Trister, civil rights lawyer forced from teaching post at the ...(Nov 2, 2018, Washington Post)

Lawyer removes post calling his client a 'terrible criminal'

IOWA CITY, Iowa – A lawyer representing a notorious Iowa murder suspect removed a Facebook post Friday in which he called another client an "idiot" and "terrible criminal" who deserved to be jailed. Marshalltown defense attorney Chad Frese said his ...(Nov 2, 2018, Fox News)

Supervisors OK with non-lawyer in lawyer's job

One of the chief critics of the hiring, Glens Falls 3rd Ward Supervisor Claudia Braymer, who is a lawyer, has said the county was breaking state law. The law requires that assistant county attorneys be able to step in for the county attorney if needed ...(Nov 2, 2018, Glens Falls Post-Star)

US official felt 'obligation' to leak documents on Manafort, others: lawyer

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A lawyer for a U.S. Treasury Department employee charged with leaking to a journalist confidential documents on former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and others, said on Friday that his client was motivated by public ...(Nov 2, 2018, Reuters)

His lawyer disagrees. “There's no information out there nor anything objectively establishing the fact that he held his wife underwater. To the contrary, there's no evidence of showing any evidence of a struggle which typically happens in that ...(Nov 2, 2018, KSBY San Luis Obispo News)

Lawyer for psych patients says she was fired for reporting late colleagues: suit

A government lawyer for Bellevue Hospital psychiatric patients claims she was fired after exposing colleagues who routinely came to the office at 11 a.m. and left by 2 p.m.. Elizabeth Budnitz worked for the taxpayer-funded Mental Hygiene Legal Service ...(Nov 3, 2018, New York Post)

Jim Harris, who was top lawyer for Portland Public Schools for six months before Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero pushed him out, has filed an unfair labor practices complaint, saying Guerrero ousted him after he questioned the school board's ...(Nov 3, 2018, OregonLive.com)

Lawyer in Blasphemy Case Flees Pakistan

The lawyer for a Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy charges after spending eight years on death row in Pakistan has fled the country, fearing for his safety, her brother said Saturday. James Masih said Asia Bibi's lawyer, Saiful Malook, left ...(Nov 3, 2018, New York Times)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) - A lawyer representing a high-profile Iowa murder suspect has removed a Facebook post in which he attacked another one of his clients as an "idiot" and "terrible criminal" who deserved to be jailed. Attorney Chad Frese said Friday ...(Nov 3, 2018, KWQC-TV6)

R. Michael Shickich, a fourth-generation Wyomingite, was selected for the sixth consecutive year to the Mountain States Super Lawyers List. Shickich, a personal injury lawyer based in Casper, has 30 years of experience as a trial lawyer and 8 years of ...(Nov 3, 2018, Casper Star-Tribune Online)

Feeling a need to clear his conscience following last week's synagogue massacre in Pittsburgh, and in the midst of his own legal troubles, President Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen said in a recent interview that he recalled several ...(Nov 4, 2018, Fox News)

Lawyer: Renowned herbalist's widower let acclaimed farm fail

The lawyer overseeing Simmons' estate is seeking to have Edward Cook, 81, removed from the 62-acre property known as the Caprilands Herb Farm on allegations he has let it fall into disrepair, flouted court orders to allow inspections and owes back ...(Nov 4, 2018, Charlotte Observer)

Lawyer: Renowned herbalist's widower let Connecticut farm fail

The lawyer overseeing Simmons' estate is seeking to have Edward Cook, 81, removed from the 62-acre property known as the Caprilands Herb Farm on allegations he has let it fall into disrepair, flouted court orders to allow inspections and owes back ...(Nov 5, 2018, Press Herald)

Penn grad Chris DePizzo was a NYC lawyer before running for Congress in Ohio

Chris DePizzo didn't always imagine a life in politics. The first in his family to graduate from college, the 2012 Penn Law graduate initially worked at a New York City law firm after leaving campus. But six years after leaving Penn, DePizzo has ...(Nov 5, 2018, The Daily Pennsylvanian)

James Davis "JD" Lawyer

Mr. Lawyer was born in 1944, in Winchester, Virginia, the son of the late Thelma and James C. Lawyer. He was a graduate of James Wood High School and attended Virginia Tech and Nashville Auto Diesel College. Mr. Lawyer was a Veteran having served ...(Nov 5, 2018, The Winchester Star)

TI's Lawyer Responds to Cryptocurrency Lawsuit: 'Tip Did Not Receive a Single Dollar'

“Tip is truly disheartened by the lawsuit," T.I.'s lawyer told The Blast. "Tip did not receive a single dollar from Felton or any of the money alleged to have been invested by the Plaintiffs, nor did he have any ownership of the company. Felton has ...(Nov 5, 2018, Complex)

Brinkley's order was followed by filings by Mill's lawyers asking the judge to recuse herself from the case, and a public campaign calling for the rapper to be freed. The struggle between the judge and the rapper intensified after the Inquirer and ...(Nov 5, 2018, Philly.com)

Lawyer says list of rejected ballots should be made public in Lake County

Election lawyer Ed Mullen says some Lake County voters may be in danger of being disenfranchised because the clerk doesn't publish a list of people whose ballots have been challenged over things like questionable or missing signatures. Mullen said a ...(Nov 5, 2018, WGN-TV)

The most prominent orthopedic surgeon in the athletic world is being sued by a former NFL player. Brad Sohn, lawyer for ex-Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, announced in a statement that a lawsuit will be filed Tuesday in Florida on ...(Nov 6, 2018, USA TODAY)

(CNN) Harvey Weinstein's defense team filed a motion Monday to have the five remaining sex crimes charges against him in New York's Supreme Court dismissed, saying in court documents that the entire case was based on a "defective Grand Jury ...(Nov 6, 2018, CNN)

Meet the DOJ Lawyer Who Founded a Politically Themed Cycling Studio on H Street

At Election Cycle on H Street, cycling classes aren't just classes—they're “political parties.” Riders pile into “The Spin Room,” a space for working out, yes, but also a nod to the area where reporters interview candidates on the campaign trail. From ...(Nov 6, 2018, Washingtonian)

Hiring an International Employee? Here's Why You Need an Immigration Lawyer

Major advertising agencies lose talent by being poorly served by their immigration lawyers. The demand for skilled and uniquely talented workers has never been higher, yet immigration lawyers hired to help agencies struggling to find and retain the ...(Nov 6, 2018, Adweek)

UN Denies Forcing Lawyer To Leave Pakistan After Defending Asia Bibi

The United Nations has rejected a claim that it forced a Pakistani lawyer to leave the country after successfully defending a Christian woman convicted of blasphemy. The lawyer, Saiful Mulook, flew to the Netherlands amid protests across Pakistan by ...(Nov 6, 2018, RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty)

Dentons Tax Lawyer Plays Unlikely Role in 'Crazy Rich Asians' Success

That's how a veteran tax lawyer now at Dentons wound up with a hand in one of 2018′s most groundbreaking film releases: “Crazy Rich Asians.” The film, the first by a major Hollywood studio to feature a majority Asian-American cast since “The Joy Luck ...(Nov 6, 2018, Law.com)

Ex-Michael Drejka lawyer arrested on DUI charge

A lawyer who represented Clearwater parking lot shooter Michael Drejka until last month was arrested on a DUI charge. Tampa police arrested Lysa Clifton, 31, on Sunday at Bayshore Boulevard and Newport Avenue S, according to Hillsborough County Jail ...(Nov 6, 2018, Tampa Bay Times (blog))

The Rise Of The Freelance Lawyer

And while small shops are capturing bigger and bigger jobs in part because of advances in legal technology, at some point there will always be a need for a human lawyer. That's where Lawclerk's solution comes in at the intersection of technology and ...(Nov 6, 2018, Legal Talk Network)

Baltimore City Solicitor Andre Davis has a clear message for a police oversight board: As one part of the city government it can't hire its own lawyer to sue another part of it. Davis set out his position in a letter dated Tuesday to a private attorney ...(Nov 6, 2018, Baltimore Sun)

Lady Lawyer Diaries: Support for Women in Law

The hashtag, #LadyLawyerDiaries, has been used by women in law for a number of years, and it has led to the creation of a thriving community for women lawyers on Twitter. In this episode of the State Bar of Texas Podcast, host Rocky Dhir and guest host ...(Nov 7, 2018, Legal Talk Network)

Democrat Letitia James defeats Republican lawyer Keith Wofford, to become New York's first black attorney general

MANILA — One of the founding members of a Philippine lawyers' group at the forefront of opposing President Rodrigo Duterte's lethal war on drugs was gunned down on Tuesday, killed by three bullets as he was leaving his office for the night. The ...(Nov 7, 2018, New York Times)

Lawyer Accused of Murdering Girlfriend in Montclair Is Captured After Weeks on Run

A lawyer wanted in the shooting death of his girlfriend inside their suburban New Jersey home last month has been captured in Cuba after weeks on the run, officials said Wednesday. James Ray III was apprehended in Cuba before he could go through ...(Nov 7, 2018, NBC 10 Philadelphia)

President Donald Trump's lawyer in the Russia investigation is enmeshed in another high-stakes legal battle — against his estranged wife. Rudy Giuliani was in state Supreme Court in New York on Wednesday, where a lawyer for Judith Giuliani claimed the ...(Nov 7, 2018, NBCNews.com)

New Jersey lawyer captured in Cuba after allegedly killing girlfriend

A New Jersey man wanted for allegedly killing his girlfriend was captured in Cuba this week and returned to the United States, authorities announced Wednesday. James Ray III had been sought in the Oct. 23 shooting death of Angela Bledsoe, 44, in the ...(Nov 7, 2018, NBCNews.com)

Retired lawyer speaks about living with dementia

TYLER, TX (KLTV) - During a public meeting about dementia, a retired lawyer spoke publicly about his struggles and his life with the disease. Doctor Don Kent was recently diagnosed with a type of dementia known as Lewy Body Dementia. According to the ...(Nov 7, 2018, KLTV)

Lawyer: Man charged in friend's slaying has alibi; was with another pal

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – A Stapleton man accused of gunning down his buddy on a street in their community six months ago has a solid alibi, his lawyer told a justice on Wednesday: Francis Batama was hanging out with another friend when he is accused of ...(Nov 8, 2018, SILive.com)

Just over a month after Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder, leaders of the union that represents most of the department's rank-and-file officers apparently are unhappy with his lawyer. The board of the Fraternal ...(Nov 8, 2018, Chicago Sun-Times)

Lawyer representing crime victim held in contempt, shining light on little-known legal role

An attorney who would not disclose a private conversation with a client — an alleged victim of a sexual assault — was held in contempt of court last week by a Cook County judge and ordered taken into custody. The incident cast a spotlight on the ...(Nov 8, 2018, Chicago Tribune)